Gifts

Helen sat at her computer, a slight smile played around her lips.

But not her eyes.

Looking away from the screen for a moment she surveyed the boundary of her world. Her chosen world.

Four walls, clothed in soothing hues of cream. A rectangle containing smaller rectangles of blue, the outside world.

It had been so long since she had ventured into that blue, outside world.

For a moment she regretted her actions, the future.

Or its lack.

A lonely, only, intelligent child. She had come as a surprise to her parents, not planned, unlike the rest of their lives, not entirely unwanted but not loved as much as a child needs to be loved. Grandparents, who would have happily become substitute parents, had died before she had a chance to know them.

School for children like Helen is often a nightmare, their differences a lever for the bullies to cause pain. But some how she avoided their attentions. I suppose something about her kept them away. Sadly this strange, undefinable quality also caused the kind children to keep their distance.

A lonely, intelligent child Helen watched as others made and broke friendships. Longing to be a part of the group but afraid that she would be rejected. Books became her friends and then the computer and the world it opened up for her.

Her eyes strayed back to the screen, her fingers darting over the keys, making slight adjustments here and there.

Nearly finished.

When her parents died she inherited the house and set up a small business writing computer programmes. Work she could do from home. Still lonely.

Then she met Jake. At last she felt she knew what love was. She was certain that they would be together for ever. But he ditched her for someone younger and wealthier.

She retreated to the only love she felt she had left, the computer.

She began to plan her revenge on Jake and the rest of the world.

She loved the cyber world of social networking and joined every group she could. Soon she had hundreds of friends all sharing each others lives. She had made up for herself a life which was a mad social whirl. She was a good story teller and soon her friends logged in to hear of her latest adventures. She avoided using real names or places, not wanting anyone to be able to trace her. She was an expert at keeping herself hidden.

She had their trust and even the cautious ones were more than happy to read her postings.

It had taken a long time to get to this state, lots of research and planning but she was at last ready.

Her finger hovered over the button, the smile real now.

She stood up and took a last look through the blue rectangle at the normality of the scene below.

The time had come.

She pressed the send button.

The gift, a huge wooden horse, stood at the walls of the city. For a while the guards observed it, fearing that it meant danger.

But when they saw their enemies departing they wheeled the creature in. Welcomed it with drinking and celebration.

Welcomed as a friend.

The gift within the belly of the horse, waited. Biding its time.

Helen's gift flew upon the ether infecting all that it encountered, destroying all it encountered.